Barrel-centering device



Jam. 3%, w23. ff?

AE. E. COLLAMER ET AL. BARREL CENTl-:Rms DEVICE.

FgLED Das:y 20, 1920. SHEETS5HEET 1 IN VENTR/ Klger/1s E. blamen BY Geary@ i?, @alia me 71 jam. 3), 1%23. 3,445,334?

i E. E. COLLAMER ET AL.

BARREL CENTERING Davme.

F|LED DEC. 20. 1920. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 vites and Patented dan. 30, i923.

1,443,347 ATET OFFICE.

EUGENE E. COLLAMER AND GEORGE R. COLLAMER, OF HXLTON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS Ol ONE-THIRD TO JOHN B. FREY COMPANY, INC., OE ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A

CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

BARREL-CENTERING DEVICE.

Applicationed December 20, 1920. Serial No. 432,053.

.lie it known that We, Eireann E. Connaunn and inonen R. COLLAMER, ozf Hilton, in the county of Monroe and State of New "York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Barrel-@entering De we do hereby declare the following to be full, clear, and exact description of the saine, reference being` had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, and to the reference numerals marked thereon.

(iur invention relates to machines for per :biii'iiirgoperations on containers or barrels, .such as the heading of barrels, and especially to the means for moving the container or barrel to `and from the position Where operated upon for such machines. The

object of our invention is `to provide an im-l proved device of the above class which shall be of simple construction, and adapted for use with either .filled or empty containers to permit them to be easily and quickly moved into operative position Without lifting the same, and Without the exercise of care and accuracy in centering` or` placing such container or barrel on the machine, these guiding functions being performed automatically.` To these and other ends the invention consistsk in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all' as Will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

ln the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view partiallyin section of our `improved barrel centering device. ,y f

Figure 2 is a section on the line 21--2a of Figure 4. y

Figure 3 is a section on the line 31--32 of Figure 1. i

Figure i is a side view of the container inposition ready to have'the cover applied thereto.

Similar reference characters throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

With our construction it is not necessary that a barrel be lifted into an inverted-position, and among the essential features of the present invention may be mentioned its simplicity of construction and' ease of operation, whereby the barrel or container may be correctly centered and covered with a minimum of effort and Without lifting the same regardless of Whether the barrel is filled or empty.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a' barrel or other container which, if of substantially' circular cross section, may be easily rolled over the storage or loading platform 11 and onto the vvork holder or carrying platform 12 Whichis of substantially the same height as the loading platform. .ln Figure 1 the Work holder is shown resting upon the step or iiXed support and also upon the end roller 14. of a plurality or series of parallel Wheels or rollers l5, each of which is journalled in a fixed support 1G so as to be freely rotatable. By tilting` the barrel from the position shownin Figure 1, the same may be caused to rest upon a plurality of the rollers 15 and then slid over the rollers until the work or container cooperates with the guide- Ways or Work alining device 17 which, to gether with the stop 18, form a centering or alining yoke whereby the barrel or container is brought in proper alinement With the plunger or element 20. The outer ends of the guide-Ways 17 `are preferably tapered shown at 17 in Figure 2, so that in case the barrel is not in proper alinement it may be guided into the position shown in Figure 2, and the guidevvays 17 are preferably disposed somewhat above the Work carrying platform 12 in order to cooperate with only the lower portion of the barrel. `A suitable frame 19 is adapted to support the guide- Ways 17 as Well as some suitable fluid pressure 'cylinder or other means for operating the plunger 20. The lower end of the plunger() is enlarged as at 21 to an amount nearly the size of the cover which is to. be applied to the barrel by being forced downward through the eXpansible cover guide 22 into the croze. rlhe sides of the cover guide 22 are shown as 'being slightly tapered in order to guide the cover into place, and the same is supported on the chime of the barrel by means of thel angle iron 22a. After being forced into position, the cover may be securely. retained in place by having the hoops or bands 22D applied and tightened in place.

After having the cover applied, the barrel 1 2 cooperates'with' the stop orside ofthe storage or loading platform 11, when if the platform 12 still rests upon several of the rollers 15, it may be easily tilted av small amount to the position shown in'Figure'l, in which the same is carried by the roller 14 and the step 13. The step 18 may be disposed preferably slightly moreth'an halfof the length'of the work carrying platform 12 from the axis of the roller 14, in order that the barrel supporting platform may automatically cooperate with the step 13 and assumethepositionshown in `Figure 1 without the necessity of tilting the same `by hand". To prevent a rebound ofthe work holder" and container supported thereby in case the same` has sufficient' momentum, the st'op"18`jmay be made yieldable as for eX- ample by the addition of a rubber or padded surface. -It'will be apparent that the rollers 15 may be po-wer driven in which event the moveinent of the barrel and platform from. they position shown in Figure 1 to the cover press and yback again may be automatic. The guide yokel? is,y adapted to correctly aline only barrels of a given size, but in case containers of different size are r-to be used, the guide yoke 17 may be made removable froml the frame 19 and another yoke inserted of'appropriate size to fit the barrel used.\ t

In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the work carrying platform 12 is made in two portions,pan upper and lower 23 and .24 respectively, one of which is mounted onrollers 25 so as tobe slidable transversely of the other. ln the form' shown the rollers 25 are journalled in'bearings 26 secured to the top portion 23 so that this upper portion may 'be rolled transversely of the lower. In order that the upper and lower' portions may be normally in' alinement, a plurality of springs arekused, which may comprise leaf springs 2f? secured at one end for eX- ainple to the lower portion and having their other ends free and disposed in opposite directions. A pin 29 disposed between these leaf'sprin'gs is secured to the other portion, in this case the upper, and in this way theupper-portion may be made yieldable or resilient with regard to the lower so th'atlwhen the barrel 10' is not correctly centered on the upper portion of the work holder 12 the container will, as the same is moved into the guide-ways 17, be guided by the inclined or tapering portion 17'L into the centering' yoke by means of this yieldable or resilient cooperation between the upperand'lower` portions of the work holder 12. Withy the `construction shown for the` work"hold'er12, the upper portion is movable in either direction with regardto the lower, thus giving the container 10 a universal horizontal freedom of movem'ent,'and a less force isrequi're'd to move the' barrel into the guide-ways 17 especiallyv when the same is filled, than is necessary when the barrel must slide on its supporting platform. If desired side frames llaniay be provided to act as a track or guide for the lower portion 24 of the platform 12 in its travel over the rollers 15, but these members -11a must, it will be understood, be wide enough apart to permit transverse movement of the upper portion of the platform 12, as the barrel cooperates with the centering guides 17, Y n

Among the advantages of our invention may be enumerated the ease of loading and unloading a container onto they work holding platform 12, and the facility with which the samejmay be moved into and out of cooperation with the aliningv yoke 17 due to the disposition of the barrel supporting platform 12 on substantiallythe same level as the loading platform 11, and to the presence of the rollers 15 and the transversely disposed rollers 25 which reduce friction to a minimum. Since it is possible to roll the barrel onto itsA carrying platform without lifting the same or without the necessity of in'vertingvit, the container may have its cap or cover applied thereto when the same is filled with substantially the same facility andy ease of movement as when empty. The

taperedv or inclinedy portions 17a of they guide-ways are effective to automatically center the container as the same is moved in lbetween the guide-ways. The use of a fixed supporter loading'step 13 is a noteworthyV feature because this permits the barrel to be movedffrofm the' rollers'into a stationary position by only a small degree of tilting and without the necessityof lifting the barrely independent of its carrying platform. By having the alining yoke cooperate withl only the lowerportion of the barrel, the upper part thereof isleftfree to be expansible vas the cover is forced into the croze. The construction is rigid and durable and both sets of rollers 15 -and 25 are adapted to? support the barrel when filled and while a pressure is appliedlthereto 'in forcing down the cover.

"We claim as our invention:

1. The combination with ,a work centering or aliningdevice, of a work' holder movable toward and from the centering device, said work holderv coinprisin'ga plurality of normally superposed portions, at leas'tone of which is laterally movable with the work relatively to theI other by the cooperation Lof the work with tlie'ce'ntering device.

The combination with a track, of a work centering device, aii'da work holder movable alonglsaidtraclr toward and from the work centerii'igwdevice, la' portion of'said work holder'being yieldable'with and by the work transversely of said track as the work cooperates with said centering device.

S. The combination with a pair of work alining guideways, of a work supporting platform movable toward and from said guide-ways, the latter being adapted to cooperate with the work without engaging said platform, the latter comprising upper' and lower portions, the upper of which is adapted to be moved relative to the lower portion to center the work as the same enters the guide-ways.

4l. The combination with a work carrying platform comprising upper and lower portions, of a plurality of wheels for supporting said platform, a pair of work centering guide-ways spaced above the platform, and between which the work is adapted to be moved on the platform, a plurality of wheels transversely disposed with respect to the iirst mentioned wheels, supporting the upper portion of said platform on the lower,

and meanscoinprising a plurality of springs in cooperation with said upper and lower portions for normally retaining the same in alinement but permitting the upper portion to be moved transversely to the lower as the work enters the guide-ways.

5. The combination with a work holding platform, comprising upper and lower portions, of rollers secured to one of said portions and against which the otherportion is adapted to slide, a plurality of rollerson which said lower portion is mounted, a pair of leafA springs spaced apart extending in opposite directions, and secured at one end to one of said portions of the platform, a`

pin secured to the other portion and projecting between said springs, and a work centering device located above the platform for cooperation with the work carried on said platform, the upper portion of the platform being transversely yieldable or movable when the work enters said centering device. n y y 6. The combination with a work holder, of a plurality of supporting wheels therefor, one of which is movable relatively to the work holderto a position substantiallycentrally of the' longitudinal axis of the work holder and approximately alined with a vertical axis through the center of gravity of the' work, the work being tiltable on said centrally disposed wheel to a position in which the other supporting wheels are free from the weight of the work and holder, and a support beneath said holder of less height than the tops of the wheels,s`aid support and central wheel being adapted to immovably retain the work and holder in tilted position.

7. The combination with a kseries of parallel rollers, of a work carrying platform, adapted to be carried by and moved over said rollers and afixed step with a tread of a )width equal toy about half the length of said work carrying platform, of slightly less height than the tops of the rollers, and dis- `a fixed support of less height than the tops `and i rom container to dispose the same axially of said posed adjacent an end roller of the series,` said work carryingplatform being movable to a position with its center of gravity over or overhanging said end roller of the series and tiltable on said end roller to a position in which the platform is carried by said step and the end roller.

8. The combination with a .plurality of rollers, of a work holder carried by thesame,

of the rollers adjacent an end roller and a loading platform of substantially the saine height as the work holder on the other side of the fixed support from the end roller and spaced a little more than half the length of thework holder from, the axis of said end roller, said work holder being tiltable on the end roller` to a position where carried by the said end roller and said support. y

9. The combination with a plunger downwardly operable to engage a container, of a yoke adapted to cooperate with Said contain'er` or center the same with respect to the plunger, and a platform mounted for kuniversal horizontal movement and on `which a container may be placed and moved toward f the centering yoke and permitted itself laterally with respect to such to adjust yoke.

10. The combination with a pressure operated plunger adapted on downward movement thereof to engage a container, of a guide yoke adapted to cooperate with said plunger, and a container supporting platform mounted on rollers beneath the plunger for movement to and from the yoke and comprising upper and lower superposed portions, the upper portion of which is yieldably secured to the lower to permit transverse movement of the upper on the lower when the container yis not moved straight or i directly longitudinally into the guide yoke.

ll; The combination with a pressure plunger located above a container and adapted on downward movement thereof to engage a container, of a centering device adaptedto cooperate with the outside of said container to axially aline the same with said plunger, a plurality of rollers, a container supporting platform disposed beneath the centeringr device and carired by the rollers toward and from the centering device, a fixed support of less height than the tops of the rollers located adjacent the roller remote from the centering device, a stop on saidV fixed support extending above the tops of said 'rollers to approximately the samek height the upper portion of the platform and separated slightly more than halfthe length of the container platform from the axis of said remote roller, said platform being tiltable on said roller to a position where carried by the same and said support, and comprising upper and klower portions sepa- The Combination Wih a phmger adapted io position a cover on a con@ hier, of a cenevog Ciovee oei d cement o( og3e1'zfton with the outs-fle of nel io aline the same Wh Said femmine? euppoltng; patiom f lapei for movement myd and hom said ceuerh (r devej on an' piuut'y of Whees about at Least one of which Said Container i5 tltabe, and a el mort adapted to immov- .20 ably earl-37 e polmoh of the \,Jeght o said oontaue pmolm in szl'ed position ee of some of sa@ Wheels.

The Combination Wh a Work carying pmjom Comprising upper and lower .5 po'tons) of e. phalty of wheels fol" suppoltng lower portion of the pletform, a pa? of Work Cent-Ming guide-y Ways, spaced above the patfom and e e, work f's aapted 'to' be and mother piu ispose with )est to ine nientoned wheels, and

(abe upge? poton of the pi l. The eomoinaon with an dement adapted to opere upon semaine?, and 2L eeneng device posleionnggvzr container with l'eiefenee heeto, o'f a carrier for prefee'n'tngg the Work to *jle centering device7 m conveyor soppolft and -oeng suppora the euri' the latte? ing tempoaiy 

